Certain appliances include mechanical latch assemblies for holding doors of the appliances in a closed position. Such mechanical latch assemblies are generally burst type latch assemblies where a user pulls on the door until a holding force is overcome and the door opens. Similarly, the user pushes on the door to overcome a resistance force of the burst type latch assembly and close the door. Overcoming the holding force of the burst type latch assembly to open the door can be difficult and inconvenient. Likewise, overcoming the resistance force of the burst type latch assembly to close the door can be difficult and inconvenient. In particular, the door may not properly close if the user fails to fully overcome the resistance force of the burst type latch assembly.
Magnetic latch assemblies are also available to hold doors closed. Such magnetic latch assemblies generally include a magnet that draws a door shut without a user applying any force to the door. However, opening the door can be difficult because an initial opening force of the magnetic latch assembly can be quite high due to the force versus displacement characteristics of the magnet.
Accordingly, a magnetic latch assembly that draws a door closed while also being easy to open would be useful. In addition, a magnetic latch assembly with features for determining if the magnetic latch assembly is in a closed position would be useful.